Feeding mechanism for sewing machines



Oct. 25, 1932. F. LUTZ I FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MA'CHINES SSheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1929 Oct. 25, 1932. LUTZ 1,884,026

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July 1, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 25, 1932. F. LUTZ FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July 1', 1929 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 awe/"tor lag 21c L urz i to.

Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRIEDRICH LUTZ, OI S'IUTTG'ART, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MASCHINEN- FABRIK, G. M. B. H, 01 STUTTGART, GERMANY FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Application filed July 1, 1929, Serial No. 375,038, and in Germany December 29, 1928..

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a feeding mechanism for sewing machines, and more particularly to a feeding mechanism for positively directing I Q and feeding an article having a circular or arcuate configuration. 1 v An object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism wherein the circular article issupported between clamping plates and wherein means is provided for positively rotating one of said plates for" presenting vthe edge of the article to the stitching mechcharacter wherein the clamping plates may be shifted relative to the stitching point for articles of difierent sizes without in any way disturbing the driving connections for posi-- tively rotating one of said plates.

- A still further object of the invention is to provide a feeding mechanism of the above 1 character wherein the clamping plates rotate about a vertical axis and the lower clamping plate is driven by a series of gears and an intermittently operating clutch from the actuating shaft, and wherein said clamping plate, gears and clutch are all mounted on a bracket which may be shiftedfor varying the set position of the rotated clamping plate rel- 35 ative to the stitching point.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

' In the drawings Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in front elevation of a portion of a machine embodying the improvements.

' Fig. 2 is a view-'partly'in vertical section and partly in end elevation showing said machine. I y I Fig. 3 is a plan viewshowing more or less diagrammatically the lower clamping plate and the positive means for rotating the same, Fig.4 is a sectional view showinga slight-' thecenter of the lower clamping plate. The

article to be stitchedso that-the article prolyi modified form of lower rotating clamping p ate.

I Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower rotating clamping plate shown in Fig. 4.

The invention is directed to a feeding mechanism for sewing machines for feeding and directing an article having a circular or arcuate configuration. The article to .be stitched is clamped between feeding and directing plates which are circular in outline and of less diameter than the article to be stitched so that the edge of the article projects beyond said clamping plates to permit overedge stitches being formed therein. The lower clamping plate is positively rotated by a train of gears actuated by a clutch from the shaft beneath the work support. This lower clamping plate is so mounted in a sleeve of. one of the gears that it may be read.- ily withdrawn and replaced by clamping plates of diflerent diameter. The upper plate is yieldingly pressed against the lower clamping plate and can likewise be shifted so as to maintain the center of the same over clamping plate and the train of gears are all carried by a bracket which is capable of being shifted without disconnecting the gears, or the gears from the clutch, or the clutch from the actuating shaft. Thus it is that the clamping plates may be shifted to different set positions for rotation without interfering with the driving connections for' the same.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the invention is shown as applied to a sewing machine having a supporting bed u. Mounted on this bed is the usual overhanging arm in which a needlebar is reciprocated and the needle bar carries a needle (1. Cooperating with theneedle are the usual stitching elements for forming anoveredge stitch. These have not been shown as they" are .of the usual character.

The article to be stitched is indicated in Fig. 1 at c. This article is clamped between a lower clamping plate a and an upperclamping plate 6. These clampingplates are circular in outline but of less diameter than the j ects beyond the edges of said plates, as clear ly shown in Fig. 1. Thus it is that the needle may penetrate the edges passing close to the clamping plates and overedge stitches formed about the edge of the article.

The lower clamping plate a is mounted in a sleeve 10 of a gear q. Said plate 0 is provided with a center shaft 11' formed with a groove in the face thereof and a pin 00 carried by the sleeve projects into this groove. The groove extends to the lower end of the shaft, and, therefore, the clamping plate a can he lifted from the sleeve without releasing any securing means. This makes a very simple and easy way of removing the clampingplat'e and substituting others therefor.

The sleeve w is mounted in a bracket 1* and is held therein by a plate attached to the lower end of the sleeve. The bracket 2' is mounted in the bed a. Said bracket is formed with an integral sleeve 25 which extends through an opening in the bed and a lock collar 8 is secured to the lower end of the sleeve for holding the bracket in a set position on the bed. By loosening this lock collar 8 the bracket 1* may be adjusted about the center of the sleeve as an axis. This connection between the bracket and the bed is atone side of the support for the lower clamping plate and when the bracket is shifted the projecting arm on the bracket carrying the lower clampingplate can. be moved toward and fromthe stitching point. 1 Located in the bracket is a shaft n and on this shaft is a drum clutch m. The drum clutch m is provided with an actuating plate I carrying a ball stud to which the end In of a link i is connected. The head h of this link i is also connected to a ball stud a mounted foradjustment in a radial slot 9 formed in a disc f carried at the outer end of the actuating shaft 6. This shaft 0 is mounted in suitable bearings in the bed it.

On the upper end of the shaft a is a gear 0 and this gear 0 meshes with a gear p mounted in the bracket 'r and in turn meshes with the j 9. Thus it is that as the'main shaft ro gear ' tates the clutch drum will cause the shaft n to rotate step by step and through the intermit tent gears will cause the lower clamping plate a to rotate stepby step. This provides a means for positively rotating the lower clamping plate from-the actuating shaft by a direct train of gears. All of the gears including the clutch are mounted onflthe bracket 7" and,

therefore, the projecting portion of the bracket carrying the clamping plate a may be shifted and thus the set position of the lower clam )ing plate a varied without in any way disturbing the driving train of connection to the shaft (2.

The upper clamping plate I) is mounted for vertical adjustment in a bracket arm 6' which is in turn mounted for lateral adjustment on, a bracket 1) attached to the presser bar I)". The rod carrying the upper clamping plate I) is free to rotate so that the clamping pla'terotates with the positively driven lower clamping plate a when an article is clamped between said plates. The

upper clamping plate can yield and can be raised from the article by lifting the presser foot in the usual manner. p

Also attached to the presser bar b is a presser foot which bears on the edge of the fabric being stitched and holds the same during the formation of the overedge stitches.

This foot is more of a stitch finger and strip-- thatthe clamping plates may be adjusted in either, direction as indicated by the arrow to bring the center of rotation of said plates either nearer to or further from the needle (1. By adjusting the ball stud e in the radial slot g the extent of oscillation imparted to the clutch drum can be varied and thus the length of stitch varied.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings there is shown a slightly modified form of the invention. The fabric is indicated at B in this figure. Said fabric includes a base and a pile face A. The lower clamping plate is indicated at 3 It is carried by the sleeve androtated thereby in the manner above escribedL This lower clamping plate 3 is provided with an annular V-shaped upwardly projecting rib 2 at its peripheral edge. This rib projeets in between the pile threads of thefabric. The pile threads at the extreme edge of the fabric are laid down by the usual means and covered by the overedge stitches. The upper clamping plate I) is of the usual construction. This lower clamping plate'is especially adapted for the stitching of articles havingfa. pile face.

It is obvious t-hat'minor changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A feeding mechanism for sewing -ma chines including a work support, cooperating clamping plates for feeding and directing the article to be stitched. said clamping plates being mounted for. rotation about a vertical axis at one side of the stitching point whereby the edge port-ion ofa circular article may be presented to the stitching mechanism,

means for positively rotating one of said said rotating means including a series plates,

gears, a clutch for intermitof intermeshing tently rotating said gears, and means for mechanism including a needle, clamping.

plates rotatable about a vertical axis for feeding and directing an article to the needle, a supporting bed, a bracket mounted on said supporting bed and shiftable about a fixed axis, a clutch drum mounted on said bracket to rotate about the supporting axis of the bracket, a gear mounted on said bracket and,

rotated by said clutch, a site e mounted on said bracket and carrying the lower clamping plate, a gear carried by said sleeve, and an intermediate gear mounted on said bracket and meshing with the gear carried by the sleeve and the gear connected to the clutch whereby said bracket may be shifted for varying the set position of said lower rotated clamping plate without disturbing the driv ing connections therefor.

3. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines including a worksupport, a stitching mechanism including a needle, clamping plates rotatable about a vertical axis for feedmg and directing an article to the needle,

, a supporting bed, a bracket mounted on said supportingbed and shiftable about a fixed axis, a clutch drum mounted on said bracket to rotate about the supporting axis of the bracket, a gear mounted on said bracket and rotated by said clutch, a sleeve mounted on said bracket and carrying the lower clamping plate, a gear carried by said sleeve, an intermediate gear mounted on said bracket and meshing with the gear carried by the'sleeve and the gear connected to the clutch whereby said bracket may be shifted for varying the set position of said lower rotated clamping plate without disturbing the driving connections therefor, and means whereby the upper clamping plate may be shifted so as to be centered over the lower clamping plate in its various set positions.

4. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines including a work support,a stitching mechanism including a needle, clamping plates rotatableabout a vertical axis for feeding and directing an article to the needle, a supporting bed, a bracket mounted on said supporting bed. and shiftable about a fixed axis, a clutch drum mounted on said bracket to rotate about the supporting axis of the bracket, a gear mounted on said bracket and rotated by said clutch, a sleeve mounted on said bracket and carrying the lower clamping plate, a gear carried by said sleeve, an intermediate gear mounted on said bracket and meshing with the gear carried by the sleeve and the gear connected to the clutch whereby said bracket may be shifted for varying the set position of said lower rotated clamping plate without disturbing the driving connections therefor, a shaft beneath said work support, means for operating said clutch from said shaft, and means whereby the extent of movement imparted to said clutch may be varied. 5. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines, including a work support, stitching mechanism including a needle, clamping plates rotatable about a vertical axis for feeding and directing an article to the needle, a bracket mounted on said work support and shiftable about a fixed pivotal axis, and an actuating mechanism for positively rotating the clamping plates, said actuating mechanism being so constructed as to permit the bracket to be shifted for varying the set position of said clamping plates relative to the needle without disturbing the driving connections of said actuating mechanism.

6. A feeding mechanism for sewing machines including a work support, stitching mechanism including a needle, clamping plates rotatable about a vertical axis for feeding and directing an article to'the needle, a bracket mounted on said work support and shiftable about a fixed pivotal axis, an actuating member mounted on said bracketto r0- tate about the axis of the pivotal support for the bracket, said clamping plates being mounted on said bracket, and adriving connection between said actuating member and said clamping plates for rotating the same whereby said bracket may be shifted for varying the set position of said clamping plates without disturbing the driving connec tion to the actuating member.

, In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature. FRIEDRICH LUTZ. 

